Vegetables are loaded with vitamins and keep us slim and healthy. We should have five servings every day. Do you eat enough vegetables? Most of us don't but we should make a special effort to get our daily supply. The good news is while we are eating our healthy vegetables we are not eating fat laden, starchy foods or rich desserts. 'We should save those foods for special occasions only.
Vegetables are high in fiber, vitamins and minerals. They are nutritious superpowers. We are foolish not to make full use of them. We are shy of using the right vegetables even when we do consume our five servings. We should have three cups of dark green vegetables every week and two cups orange and yellow. Our vegetables should be steamed, or boiled lightly in a small amount of water with little or no fat. Low or no fat dressings and salsa make good seasonings stirred in the veggies after cooking.
- Dark Green Vegetables contain: Fiber, vitamins A and C, magnesium, folic acid, and potassium
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Orange and Yellow Vegetables contain: Fiber, vitamin A and potassium
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Red, Purple contain: Fiber, vitamin A and C, folic acid and potassium
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Salad dressings pour the fat on our salads. Follow these tips for low or no fat dressing. Use half oil and other liquid, vinegars, citrus, juices, mustards and spices.
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Buy low or no fat dressings at the grocer but read the label to be sure how many carbs and calories you are getting.
- Dilute a creamy dressing with vinegar or juice.
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Drizzle as little dressing on your salad as you can.
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Avoid all battered or fried foods. They are full of fat and have the vitamins cooked out of them.
